During the scenes of the meeting with the King and his English followers, and the scene when the English troops interrupt the Scottish wedding celebration, the topic of "prima nocte", or "first night" is mentioned. While this decree was a well known European law at one point, it was not introduced into Europe for hundreds of years after this movie was set.

Besides the few mistakes in this movie, however, it is by far one of the greatest movies ever made.

It was, in fact, King Alexander III, King Edward I (Longshanks) father, who first incited the decree of Prima Nocte early on in his rule. The decree apllied to not only Scotland, but to all other lands under English rule. It was not decreed for sadistic purposes but rather as a tool to keep bloodlines strong and break the spirits of peasants who might otherwise consider a revolt over taxation by a feudal lord.

From a noted history prof., I was told that "Prima Nocte" did exist at this time. However, historians are not sure whether Edward the first did enact such a law. So it is quite possible that such a proclaimation could be issued.